Macc is the largest provider of infrastructure services to the voluntary and community sector in Manchester. It works cooperatively with a number of other infrastructure support organisations in the city.
This consultancy forms part of the Big Lottery Transforming Local Infrastructure Project (TLI) co-ordinated by Macc. One of the aims of TLI is to find additional ways of financing local infrastructure support of voluntary and community organisations (VCS).
The aim of this consultancy is to investigate how infrastructure organisations can constructively support the commissioning processes of public bodies (including local authorities and Clinical Commissioning Groups) through a number of paid-for services. These may lend support at any point of a commissioning process including: needs analysis and consultation; understanding of and development of the market; specification of services; procurement; monitoring and audit. The services may be carried out either by the infrastructure organisation alone or in partnership with specialist voluntary organisations.
The focus of the consultancy is on those services that infrastructure organisations might deliver which raise income, build on their experience, skills and further their fundamental aim of encouraging an independent, strong and vibrant voluntary and community sector.
We welcome innovative and creative approaches to carrying out this consultancy.
Key Context
1) Many public bodies are increasing the quantity of commissioning they carry out whilst at the same time reducing the number of staff involved in commissioning.
2) Funds from public bodies for VCS infrastructure bodies are decreasing and there is increasing need to raise income by offering services to public bodies.
Macc is seeking to appoint a consultant or group of consultants to:
1) Identify a small and coherent set of offers/packages that stand the highest chance of being purchased by public commissioning bodies to support them in their commissioning processes.
2) For each of those offers
a. Identify the potential market including the barriers and opportunities
b. Outline a pricing model
c. Detail the offer and the key selling points for the buyer
3) Identify what infrastructure organisations would need in place in order to be able to adequately provide the offers/packages to a reasonable quality.
4) Identify further offers/packages that the infrastructure may look to provide in the longer term.
The results should be presented in an appropriate format or formats, including a short and engaging presentation, together with the evidence to support the conclusions.
The consultancy must finish at the latest by Sept 30th 2013.
The total money available for the consultancy is £10,000. This includes all incidentals, expenses and VAT.
To discuss the consultancy further please contact Nigel Rose at 0161 834 9823.
Application and Decision-Making Process
Application should be made by email to Nigel Rose, [email protected] by 9.30am 1 July 2013.
Applications should describe in no more than 1000 words how the commission would be carried out and the suitability of the applicant to carry out the work. Applicants may wish to attach a small number of further documents that evidence their suitability. Where this is done the attachments should be referenced in the application.
Applications will be shortlisted by a panel and the final decision made on interview.